Export and File Operations
The application provides several ways to get data out of a capture session.
Export Formats at a Glance
| Format | Extension | How to Access | Contents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full capture | .active |
File > Save Capture | All data + all settings |
| Partial capture | .active |
File > Save Between Cursors | Data in X1–X2 range + settings |
| Configuration only | .ini |
File > Save Configuration | Settings only, no data |
| CSV (file) | .csv |
File > Export Data Between Cursors | Decoded events between X1 and X2 |
| AI Snapshot (file) | .aft |
File > Export AI Snapshot Between Cursors | All channels in selected range, structured for AI |
| CSV (clipboard) | — | Right-click drag → Copy Data | Decoded events in selected range |
| AI Snapshot (clipboard) | .aft text |
Right-click drag → Copy AI Snapshot | All channels in selected range, structured for AI |
Full Capture File (.active)
The .active file stores everything needed to restore your session exactly. Give this file to a colleague and they can open it on their machine and see exactly what you saw — including all waveform data, channel names, notes, and decoder settings.
Contents:
- All captured waveform data for every channel (logic, analog, Active Debug Port, PacketPresenter decoded output)
- Channel names, colors, and visibility settings
- Decoder mode settings for each device port
- Baud rate and protocol-specific decoder settings
- PacketPresenter definitions (the complete
.ppscript text for each port) - Analog calibration settings (ACTIVE-PRO and ACTIVE-PRO Ultra)
- Notes (rich text HTML)
- Analysis Context text
The Analysis Context travels with the capture file, so if you've written a debugging briefing in the Notes tab, it will be included in any AI Snapshot exported from that file — on any machine, by any engineer who opens it.
Saving
File > Save Capture: Saves the entire current capture. A save dialog appears if the file has not been saved before. Saving large buffer sizes can take a while; a progress indicator is displayed at the bottom of the application.
File > Save Between Cursors: Saves only the data between X1 and X2 to a new .active file. Place both cursors before using this. Useful for extracting a specific event from a long session into a small, shareable file.
Opening
File > Open Capture (Ctrl+O): Opens a .active file and fully restores the session. Opening files with large buffer sizes can take a while to decompress and display.
File > Recent Files: Lists the last 5 files you opened or saved. Click any entry to open it immediately.
CSV Export
The CSV export writes decoded event data as comma-separated text, one row per event. This format opens directly in Excel, Numbers, Google Sheets, or any text editor, and is useful for sorting, filtering, or further analysis.
Exporting to a File
- Place the X1 cursor at the start of the range you want (double-click on the waveform, or press 1).
- Place the X2 cursor at the end of the range (right double-click, or press 2).
- Go to File > Export Data Between Cursors.
- A save dialog appears. Choose a folder and filename, then click Save.
If no range is selected (X1 and X2 are in the same position, or neither has been placed), the application shows a warning: "No data is selected. Place the cursors to select what data to export."
Copying CSV to the Clipboard
To get the data directly to the clipboard without saving a file:
- Right-click and drag across the waveform to select a range.
- Release the mouse button.
- Select Copy Data (Ctrl+Shift+C) from the context menu.
Paste into a spreadsheet or text editor with Ctrl+V.
You can do the same right-click drag in the List tab to select a range of rows there.
Hiding Channels to Control Export Contents
Only enabled (visible) channels are included in AI Snapshots and CSV exports. This is the mechanism you use to control exactly what goes into an export.
Practical use case: You captured 12 active channels but your bug is in the interaction between two of them. Hide the other 10 in the name column, then export or take a snapshot. The output contains only the two relevant channels — making it smaller, faster to analyze, and clearer when shared. For AI Snapshots specifically, fewer channels also means a smaller token count, which leaves more of the AI's context window available for analysis.
To hide a channel: click the enable/disable control on the left side of the channel's name column row. The channel disappears from the waveform display and is excluded from all exports. To show it again, click the same control.
To hide an entire group at once: collapse the group by clicking the group header row. All channels in the collapsed group are excluded from exports.
AI Snapshot
The AI Snapshot produces a structured .aft text block containing all channel data for the selected time range, designed specifically for analysis by AI assistants. It combines Active Debug Port output, logic transitions, protocol decodes, and analog measurements into a single chronological record that an AI can read and reason about.
To copy to clipboard (paste into an AI chat): right-click drag to select a range, then choose Copy AI Snapshot from the context menu.
To save to a file: place X1 and X2 cursors, then use File > Export AI Snapshot Between Cursors. A file dialog appears; save with a .aft extension. Saving to a file is useful for logging snapshots during automated test runs, attaching them to bug reports, or feeding them to an AI assistant that accepts file uploads.
Configuration Files
Available on: ACTIVE-PRO · ACTIVE-PRO Ultra (not available on Active Debugger)
Configuration files store your settings without any captured data.
File > Save Configuration: Saves all current settings to a .ini file.
File > Open Configuration: Loads settings from a configuration file and applies them without affecting captured data.
Screenshots
The Automation API provides a SaveScreenshot command that saves the application window to an image file.